The Adventure of the Cardboard Box | Page 4

into a brown study. Suddenly my companion's voice
broke in upon my thoughts:
"You are right, Watson," said he. "It does seem a most preposterous way of settling a
dispute."
"Most preposterous!" I exclaimed, and then suddenly realizing how he had echoed the
inmost thought of my soul, I sat up in my chair and stared at him in blank amazement.
"What is this, Holmes?" I cried. "This is beyond anything which I could have imagined."
He laughed heartily at my perplexity.
"You remember," said he, "that some little time ago when I read you the passage in one
of Poe's sketches in which a close reasoner follows the unspoken thoughts of his
companion, you were inclined to treat the matter as a mere tour-de-force of the author.
On my remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing you expressed
incredulity."
"Oh, no!"
"Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson, but certainly with your eyebrows. So
when I saw you throw down your paper and enter upon a train of thought, I was very
happy to have the opportunity of reading it off, and eventually of breaking into it, as a
proof that I had been in rapport with you."
But I was still far from satisfied. "In the example which you read to me," said I, "the
reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed. If I
remember right, he stumbled over a heap of stones, looked up at the stars, and so on. But
I have been seated quietly in my chair, and what clues can I have given you?"
"You do yourself an injustice. The features are given to man as the means by which he
shall express his emotions, and yours are faithful servants."
"Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my features?"
"Your features and especially your eyes. Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your
reverie commenced?"
"No, I cannot."
"Then I will tell you. After throwing down your paper, which was the action which drew
my attention to you, you sat for half a minute with a vacant expression. Then your eyes
fixed themselves upon your newly framed picture of General Gordon, and I saw by the
alteration in your face that a train of thought had been started. But it did not lead very far.
Your eyes flashed across to the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher which stands
upon the top of your books. Then you glanced up at the wall, and of course your meaning
was obvious. You were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover that
bare space and correspond with Gordon's picture there."
"You have followed me wonderfully!" I exclaimed.
"So far I could hardly have gone astray. But now your thoughts went back to Beecher,
and you looked hard across as if you were studying the character in his features. Then
your eyes ceased to pucker, but you continued to look across, and your face was
thoughtful. You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career. I was well aware that
you could not do this without thinking of the mission which he undertook on behalf of the
North at the time of the Civil War, for I remember your expressing your passionate
indignation at the way in which he was received by the more turbulent of our people. You
felt so strongly about it that I knew you could not think of Beecher without thinking of

that also. When a moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture, I
suspected that your mind had now turned to the Civil War, and when I observed that your
lips set, your eyes sparkled, and your hands clenched I was positive that you were indeed
thinking of the gallantry which was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle. But
then, again, your face grew sadder, you shook your head. You were dwelling upon the
sadness and horror and useless waste of life. Your hand stole towards your own old
wound and a smile quivered on your lips, which showed me that the ridiculous side of
this method of settling international questions had forced itself upon your mind. At this
point I agreed with you that it was preposterous and was glad to find that all my
deductions had been correct."
"Absolutely!" said I. "And now that you have explained it, I confess that I am as amazed
as before."
"It was very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you. I should not have intruded it upon
your attention had you not shown some incredulity the other day. But I have in my hands
here a little problem which may prove to be more difficult of solution than